Storms can
be significant events affecting turbidity
readings in a lake. A portion of the rain that falls on the land in
a watershed
washes into the lake as runoff. The runoff carries inorganic and
organic
materials, including soil, humus, chemicals, nutrients, and pollutants,
into the lake. In this lesson you will explore how rain storms, watershed
characteristics, and landuse affect turbidity.

As a regional
landuse planner you need to prepare a report on how a rain storm affects
turbidity values in a lake. The final report should take a multidisciplinary
perspective. That is, it should include meteorological, landuse, and
water quality factors that may influence how a rain storm affects turbidity
values in a lake.

Knowledge
BaseAs a landuse
planner you have seen data visualizations of turbidity values in lakes
like the image below. Through the visualization you can see that turbidity
values change, with increased turbidity at some depths on a variety of
days. You know that storm runoff is only one of the possible sources for
increases in turbidity measurements.

Consider your
experiences with lakes after storms. What visible differences have you
observed in water clarity in lakes? Do you think storm runoff affects
all depths, or does it concentrate its effects at specific depths? How
long does a lake appear to remain affected by a storm? How might the size
of the lakes watershed affect runoff? What other factors might relate
to how a rain storm affects turbidity values in a lake?

Experimental
DesignWhat data
will you need to collect in order to prepare a report on how a rain storm
affects turbidity values in a lake?

Data Collection
What format
will you use to organize and record your data? When you are prepared,
use the Internet to collect the data you need to complete your analysis.

Data Management
and Analysis
Think about
the data you have collected and how you will need to present it so that
others will understand it. Should some of the data be graphed? What does
your data show about how a rain storm affects turbidity values? Are there "cause and effect" relationships
that appear obvious from your data?

Interpretation
of Results
Describe the
relationships you have found among your data. Which of the factors investigated
appears to be most important related to turbidity after a rain storm?

Reporting
Results
Develop a
presentation based on what you have learned about rain storms and turbidity
values. It can be a multi-media presentation, poster, written paper, or
oral report. Include your graphs and a map of your lake showing the variety
of landuses in the watershed.